SEQUIM — A Sequim girl allegedly taken from her school Nov. 30 by her mother was located Monday in San Diego and has been reunited with her father, who is the custodial parent, Clallam County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Lyman Moores said Wednesday.
Hannah McVay, 12, was allegedly abducted from Sequim Middle School by her mother, Sarah J. Barton, a Port Ludlow resident, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“She is fine. There were no problems, and the arrest was made with no incidents,” Moores said. “We were very happy we could notify her father that he could go down and pick up his daughter.”
Barton is now in custody in San Diego.
An alert was issued by Clallam County Sheriff’s Office last Thursday, Dec. 1, after Sequim Middle School video surveillance showed McVay leaving the school with a woman of Barton’s description.
Moores said a worker at the shelter recognized Barton, most likely from a poster issued regionally, and called police.
“[Barton] was checking into a shelter in San Diego and was recognized as a wanted person,” Moores said.
San Diego police arrested Barton without incident, and McVay was taken into protective custody, he said.
Barton can be held by San Diego police for up to two weeks under a felony warrant for investigation of first-degree custodial interference, Moores said.
The Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office has two weeks to decide whether or not she will be extradited, though Barton could waive extradition hearings and voluntarily return to Washington state, Moores said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
